Cabinet Office

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 November 2023 (HL180),whether they plan topublish an assessment of the state of readiness of (1) the UK, and(2)EU member states, for the implementation of the Border Target Operating Model.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The UK Government is prepared for the implementation of the Border Target Operating Model and is working with EU member states to ensure they are prepared ahead of implementation in three stages: January 2024 (health certificates), April 2024 (physical checks) and October 2024 (safety and security).The Government has monitored preparedness of businesses in both the UK and the EU through a readiness survey which has attracted over 2000 responses. The Government has also engaged directly with EU based businesses through a series of overseas visits to meet industry figures and raise awareness of the forthcoming controls. The Government is engaging UK businesses both via existing business-government engagement routes, and, on the BTOM specifically, through a series of commodity-specific webinars.The Government has engaged with the European Commission directly, and with EU Member States individually on a government-government level to ensure that EU authorities are prepared for the controls.Whilst we do not feel it is necessary to publish a readiness assessment, we will continue to monitor preparedness and to support businesses as the Border Target Operating Model is implemented.

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 November 2023 (HL180),what potential risks have been identified as a result of the Government’s monitoring.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government has adopted a cross-departmental approach to identify and manage risks, including agreeing mitigations. I am chairing regular Small Ministerial Group meetings to ensure Ministerial oversight. Specific risks identified at present through cross-government monitoring include data monitoring availability, infrastructure readiness, West Coast checks start date, IT alignment, and the charging regime due for implementation once physical checks commence.

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 22 November 2023 (HL136),whether they received representations from businesses and business groups that they would need all the information to prepare for the Border Target Operating Modelat least sixmonths or a year before implementation.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government initially published a draft model in April 2023. The purpose of the draft was to gather feedback from businesses to enable the Government to make changes based on their representations. Following this, the Government moved some of the implementation milestones in the final Border Target Operating Model in order to give businesses more time to prepare. The final Border Target Operating Model was published in August 2023 which gives businesses sufficient time to prepare ahead of the planned timetable. The first implementation milestone (health certificates) is at the end of January 2024, followed by a physical checking regime at the end of April 2024 and then safety and security checks in October 2024.

Employment

Lord Wigley: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the latest employment activity rates for (1) each region of England, (2) England, (3) Wales, (4) Scotland, and (5) Northern Ireland.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. I will deposit a copy of the dataset for employment activity rates for each region of England, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland in the House Libraries. The Rt Hon. the Lord WigleyHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 21 December 2023 Dear Lord Wigley, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking for the latest employment activity rates for (1) each region of England (2) England (3) Wales, (4) Scotland, and (5) Northern Ireland (HL1373). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects information on respondents’ labour market status as part of the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which is a survey of people resident in households in the UK. The economic activity rate is the proportion of the UK population aged 16-64 years who are engaged with the labour market, either through employment or searching for work while unemployed. The employment rate is the proportion of the UK population aged 16 to 64 years who are employed. The latest LFS estimates available are for the period April to June 2023. Due to increased uncertainty in LFS estimates from May to July 2023, the latest LFS estimates are not being released. To give users a more considered view of the labour market, we have applied growth rates from administrative data (HMRC PAYE RTI (Pay As You Earn Real Time Information) for employment and Claimant Count for unemployment) to April to June 2023 LFS data to produce adjusted employment, unemployment, and economic inactivity estimates. Table 1 shows estimates of economic activity and employment rates using LFS data from March to May 1992 to April to June 2023, and experimental adjusted estimates from May to July 2023 to August to October 2023. As the data are quite extensive, a copy of Table 1 has been placed in the House of Lords Library.  Yours sincerely,Sir Ian Diamond UK Statistics Authority  (pdf, 111.0KB)Dataset (xlsx, 175.5KB)

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 November 2023 (HL180),what are the timescales for commencing operational testing with users of the borderbefore changes are implemented; how users will be identified and selected to undertake the operational testing; and howthey will ensurethat the users are representative of the logistics industry.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Cross-government testing is mainly focused on the connectivity of systems aligned to the implementation of the physical checking regime in April 2024. The cross-government team, led by the Cabinet Office, has already begun its operational testing programme with a number of internal tabletop exercises conducted between October and December. These will help ensure that live tests will be directed towards key aspects of the end to end process. The programme is moving towards live testing with users which will take place between February and April, prior to the implementation of the checking regime at the end of April. We are in the process of identifying users through both engagement with industry and our colleagues in local government and the Port Health Authorities. Operational testing is about the full end to end process and will cover each aspect of the supply chain including traders, hauliers and carriers.

Government Assistance: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government how many approvals have been sought from the European Commission for state aid in Northern Ireland since the coming into force of the Northern Ireland Protocol; what are these approvals; and what estimate they have made of the total amount of funds forwhich approval has been sought.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Windsor Framework addressed the risk of "reach back" of EU state aid rules and, based on past experience, ensures that more than 98% of aid can be granted without notification, preserving the functioning of the UK internal market. This sits alongside the uniquely generous arrangements for agricultural subsidies in Northern Ireland under the Framework. Under the old Protocol, there were 11 cases that required EU approval. Since the Windsor Framework, there has been only one such case, the Energy Business Discount Scheme, which was resolved in order to ensure a UK-wide subsidy scheme, and continuing access to the EU market for all manufacturers in scope.

House of Lords: Ministers

Earl Attlee: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 19 December 2023 (HL856), what is the average annual salary of a minister of the crown in the House of Lords, including unpaid ministers and excluding accommodation and travel allowances.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The average (mean) salary of a minister of the crown in the House of Lords, including unpaid ministers and excluding accommodation and travel allowances, is £41,490.26. Ministerial salaries are payable under the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975. Details of the salaries and allowances currently paid to Ministers at different ranks can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-salary-data

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 November 2023 (HL180),whether they have undertaken an assessment of whether the Sevington border facility will have the required capacity for physical checks from 30 April 2024.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs carefully reviewed the provision of Border Control Post (BCP) facilities in Kent. It is the UK Government’s intention that SPS checks on goods arriving through the short straits should be undertaken at Sevington Inland BCP. This will ensure protection of the nation’s biosecurity and reduce import burdens for trade whilst also managing operating costs. A key part of the review was consideration of the required capacity needed for SPS checks in Kent. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is confident that Sevington BCP has sufficient capacity to handle the volume of expected checks at the Short Straits, as set out in the Border Operating Model, with robust, dynamic, and effective operational measures ready to call upon if needed.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Development Aid: Climate Change

Lord Ravensdale: To ask His Majesty's Government how much of their overseas aid budget is spentdirectly on climate mitigation and adaptation; and how much of that is spent or allocated to countries in (1) Africa, (2) the Middle East, and (3) South Asia.

Lord Benyon: In 2020 the UK spent over £1.3 billion of Official Development Assistance addressing climate change through multilateral and bilateral channels. Of this at least £224 million of bilateral climate finance was spent in Africa, £2 million in the Middle East (through the "SEED OPTs" programme), and £81 million in South Asia. The UK's main climate programme in the Middle East ("PHENOMENAL") started the following year in 2021. In line with our international obligations our official International Climate Finance figures are reported through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, for which 2020 is the most recent year of reporting.

Algeria and Tunisia: Human Rights

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of recent developments in human and civil rights in (1) Tunisia, and (2) Algeria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Through our annual Human Rights and Democracy Report we recognise where countries make progress but also where there is a decline in human and civil rights standards. Neither Tunisia nor Algeria are human rights priority countries but we continue to engage both countries on civil and human rights issues. At the UK-Tunisia Association Council meeting on 12 October 2023, the UK emphasised the importance of political participation, democratic freedoms and human rights. With Algeria, we engage directly with government officials and through the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) universal periodic review process and follow-up recommendations. We welcome the recent visits by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders.

Windsor Framework

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government what specific changes to the Windsor Framework they have negotiated with the European Union; and when they will be applicable.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has held extensive talks with the Democratic Unionist Party on the Windsor Framework over the past eight months. As confirmed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 19 December, the Government now stands ready to introduce a package of measures should the DUP reach a decision to proceed.

Red Sea: Shipping

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partnersabout taking action against the Houthi war capability in the Red Sea.

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partners about taking action against Houthi missile sites in Yemen.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK strongly condemns the illegal and unjustified attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi militants. We continue to engage with our international partners, particularly in the region, to explore ways to strengthen maritime security and prevent further attacks. The UK has joined with key international allies in Operation PROSPERITY GUARDIAN to help safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Ukraine: Development Aid

Lord Balfe: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to earmark funds to support Ukrainein the period after the cessation of hostilities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Supporting Ukraine to build a secure and prosperous future is an essential part of our effort to help Ukraine defeat Russian aggression. The Ukraine Recovery Conference (21-22 June 2023) raised over $60 billion in new support, including $3 billion in UK guarantees to World Bank lending and £240 million of UK bilateral assistance for 2023-24. The UK has earmarked up to $1 billion a year in fiscal support through World Bank guarantees between 2023 and 2027. Bilateral allocations for the 2024-25 financial year are still being finalised and funding beyond 2025 will be confirmed after the next Spending Review.

Asylum: Deportation

Lord Balfe: To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that international aid from Sweden will soon depend on whether the recipient country accepts the repatriation of its citizens, such as asylum seekers and migrants deemed a security risk, what assessment they have made of the case for adopting a similar policy for the United Kingdom.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) is provided with the primary purpose of contributing to reduction in poverty. Allocation decisions are informed by a range of modelling and information sources, including absolute poverty, humanitarian need, geopolitical prioritisation and the ability of a country to self-finance its own development. The recently published White Paper on International Development makes clear that the UK will prioritise its ODA where it is most needed and most effective.

Diplomatic Service: British Nationals Abroad

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask His Majesty's Government what consular support they offer to UK dual nationals resident in other states of which they also hold citizenship.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Where a dual British national is living or travelling in the country of their other nationality, we would not normally provide consular support or get involved in dealings between them and the authorities of that country. We may make an exception if we consider that the individual is vulnerable because of their specific circumstances, and there are special humanitarian or human rights reasons. The policy is set out here [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/who-the-fcdo-can-support-abroad%23dual-nationals].

Guyana: Venezuela

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to reduce tensions, and (2) to support efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the territorial dispute, between Venezuela and Guyana.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela. We are clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration. The Foreign Secretary has reassured President Ali of this. We continue to work with regional partners and international bodies to de-escalate tensions.Minister Rutley visited Guyana on 18 December. He met with President Ali, Foreign Secretary Todd, National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia, Defence Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Omar Khan and the Caribbean Community CARICOM Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett to show UK support for Guyana's territorial integrity.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 November (HL180), whether they have developed plans for managing traffic flows through the Sevington border facility (1) when the facility is operating smoothly, and (2) during periods of congestion and queuing.

Lord Douglas-Miller: Sevington Inland Border Facility is a cross-Government managed site owned by the Department for Transport. HM Revenue and Customs operates customs checks on the site and Defra has built a Border Control Post to support sanitary and phytosanitary checks on goods arriving from the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel. Departments have worked together to develop traffic management plans which set out the mitigations required to ensure traffic flow is managed in and around the site, both when the facility is operating smoothly and in the event of congestion. These have also taken into account the wider Kent Resilience Forum Traffic Management plans, which include the use of some capacity at Sevington if required in times of disruption.

Otters: Conservation

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the otterpopulation is growing or declining; and what assessment they have made of the current otter population level.

Lord Benyon: The results from the 2023 national otter surveys are expected to be published mid-2024.The results from the 2010 surveys show a varied picture: in England, the otter population was estimated at 2800 and probably increasing; in Scotland, the population was estimated at 8000 and possibly declining. Survey results from Wales in 2018 showed the population is in decline.

Import Controls

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 November 2023 (HL180),what "appropriate contingencies" are under consideration to be deployed by (1) importers, and (2) the Government.

Lord Douglas-Miller: The introduction of new controls for the Border Target Operating Model is not expected to impact products of animal origin and fresh produce availability. We are working closely with importers and border officials, and we are continuously monitoring the range of potential risks that could impact on the supply chain, and this would inform any future thinking around contingencies to be deployed if required.

Forests: Commodities

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect tolay the regulations on forest risk commodities; and if the regulations will subject to affirmative procedure.

Lord Benyon: The Government introduced new due diligence legislation through the Environment Act to help tackle illegal deforestation in UK supply chains. We will operationalise these provisions through secondary legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows. The regulations will be subject to the affirmative procedure.

Department for Business and Trade

EU Law

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government whatis the current status of the Dashboard of Retained EU Law, with particular reference to those instruments (1) to be revoked, or (2) subject to sunset, by 31 December 2023.

Lord Offord of Garvel: There are currently 5020 pieces of Retained EU Law (REUL) on the dashboard. This will be updated in January.At the end of the year around 700 pieces of REUL will be revoked via schedule 1 of the Act (“the revocation schedule”) and subsequent secondary legislation.Unless it is actively revoked, no REUL will sunset. The Government changed approach from a sunset to the revocation schedule, to provide clarity for business and allow the Government to focus on reform.Further REUL will be revoked throughout 2024, delivering on our ambition to reduce burdens for business and cut red tape.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Homes England: East of England

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Penn on 23 November 2023 (HL173),what mechanisms are available to members of the House of Lords to encourage, via an arm’s length publicly funded body, development of land which has been historically identified and allocated for such a purpose, such as that at Great Kyne in Peterborough.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government sets clear delivery expectations in regards to developing land for housing. The role of an arm’s length body is to deliver against the government’s policy objectives, which it does via a range of agreed interventions. Arm’s length bodies are fully delegated to deliver these interventions on behalf of the government and work with a large number of delivery partners to bring a wide range of sites and projects forwards for housing. The site at Great Kyne was originally put forward for development in 2016 but was not allocated in the Local Plan by Peterborough City Council. The site was again put forward for consideration as part of the development allocation for future housing need in September 2023. The decision on whether the site will be allocated in the Local Plan rests with Peterborough City Council.

Political Parties: Finance

Lord Evans of Weardale: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Sharpe of Epsom on 4 July 2023 (HL Deb col 1125), what progress they have made on the consultation on enhancing information sharing.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government will consult the relevant authorities with the aim of finding ways to improve information sharing to facilitate enforcement of existing electoral law and report its conclusions to Parliament by the end of 2024.

Planning Permission

Lord Triesman: To ask His Majesty's Government what advice they provide to developers and planning authorities to ensure that there is full consultation on developments which are of significant risk of causing disturbance to neighbours, and what remedies are available in the event that such consultation does not take place.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Article 15 of The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (England) Order 2015 outlines the statutory publicity requirements for Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). LPAs must give notice by site display in at least one place on or near the land to which the application relates or by serving the notice on any adjoining owner or occupier. They must also publish information about the application on their website and in certain circumstances, they must give notice in a local newspaper. Where relevant planning considerations are raised by local residents, these must be taken into account by the local authority before they determine an application. Publicity beyond the statutory requirements is at the discretion of LPAs.

Ministry of Defence

Afghanistan: Armed Forces

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to remarks byLord Sharpe of Epsom on 18 December 2023 (HL Deb cols 2046–2049),how they are assisting former Afghan soldiers who were trained by the UK and worked with British forces,particularly those now facing the risk of being sent back to Afghanistan from Pakistan; and what discussions they have had with their Pakistan counterparts to ensure their safe passage and sanctuary.

The Earl of Minto: The Ministry of Defence continues to work alongside the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office in constructive talks with the Government of Pakistan to ensure UK-sponsored Afghans in Pakistan are protected from the threat of deportation. However, it is the case that we can only extend UK Government support to Afghans in Pakistan who are eligible for our Afghan resettlement schemes. The ARAP scheme is more generous in its eligibility criteria than predecessor schemes. Nonetheless, it was designed to support those who worked for, with or alongside the UK's Armed Forces in support - critically - of the UK's mission or national security objectives in Afghanistan. Each ARAP application is assessed on a case-by-case basis, with all applications, including those from former members of the Afghan security forces, scrutinised on their own merits in line with our published policy and eligibility criteria. All applicants, irrespective of job role, will only be eligible if they individually meet these criteria outlined in the published policy. This means that some Afghans whose bravery and heroism are in no doubt whatsoever, will not be eligible for relocation under ARAP.

Women and Equalities

Equal Pay

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps theyare taking to (1) mitigate pay gaps, and (2) promote fair compensation practices, within large companies.

Baroness Barran: We are committed to reducing unfair pay disparities and ensuring everyone is able to succeed in their career. Under this Government the gender pay gap has narrowed significantly, having fallen by approximately a quarter in the last decade. In 2017, we introduced regulations requiring large employers to publish gender pay gap data every year, ensuring employers are aware of their gaps and take steps to close them. To accelerate progress we have supported legislation to: enhance flexible working, extend redundancy protection for those on maternity leave, introduce carers leave, and, strengthen the protections against harassment in the workplace. The Government published guidance for employers on ethnicity pay reporting in April 2023, which sets out best practice on measuring, analysing and reporting ethnicity pay gaps. We are supporting employers who wish to measure their pay gaps and are identifying examples of good practice. In terms of supporting fair compensation practices, the National Living Wage will be increasing by a record cash amount in April – from £10.42 to £11.44 an hour. Through this, the Government protects the lowest paid in society, with women and people from an ethnic minority background among those more likely to benefit.